Kinds of Protein Powders and How to Use Them

People use protein powder to have lean and muscular body, among other supplements. Protein powder can also help skinny people gain muscle weight, since the protein content of the supplement allows repair and growth of muscle tissues. Protein powder preparations are also available to the market and their prices vary that people can choose the ones that they can afford.

The following are the kinds of protein powder preparations and how they act on the body.

Whey protein stands as a great source of protein, according to Body Building. As per the publication, the supplement helps enhance sports performance by decreasing stress and cortisol levels, which encourage muscle breakdown. Also, whey has the power to boost a person’s immunity through the elevation of glutathione, a water soluble antioxidant found in the body; thus, it helps prevent the occurrence of debilitating illnesses like cancer and acute immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Whey protein can also decrease high blood pressure, which saves a person from having a cardiac problem or even stroke.

Whey concentrate and isolate powders are variants of whey protein supplements. As per Built Lean, whey concentrate is produced when the material after pushing the liquid portion of milk through a filter has dried and it contains various amounts of fats and carbohydrates in a form called lactose. When whey concentrate is processed and purified further, whey protein isolate will be the result. This means that whey concentrate is 80 percent protein while the whey isolate is pure protein.

According to Body Building, both whey concentrate and isolate are best options post-workout due to their fast-acting effect. This means that after training, they are capable of quickly releasing protein into the bloodstream; thus, allowing fast muscle recovery and growth. While protein powder both supplements have immediate effects to the muscles and to the body, it is noted that whey isolate stands as a poor selection as a supplement at other parts of the day. As per the publication, since the body does not need protein every minute, the amino acids that enter the bloodstream will be utilized for energy production and not for muscle building

Whey protein powder supplements are usually consumed in the morning after waking up from bed and after training. The morning intake allows the activation of protein synthesis while the post-training consumption enables the recovery and growth of torn muscles during workout.

Casein is another protein powder variant. Derived from dairy like cow’s milk, it presents difference from the whey protein, since it has slower digestion rate secondary to a more complex interactive process with the acids and enzymes in the body’s stomach, according to Daily Burn. As a result, essential proteins and amino acids will be slowly released to the system, allowing muscle growth and recovery in several hours. This principle makes casein as the supplement of choice when a slow release of nutrients is beneficial, such as going before bed, since the body is going to have no food intake within 7 to 10 hours. Also, the slow-acting casein is not preferred over whey post-workout, since the latter allows the release of essential proteins and amino acids at a faster rate.

According to Nutrition Express, combining the actions of whey and casein, along with nutrition and rest, allows a person to get the lean body that he desires. This is because whey boosts faster protein synthesis while casein prevents protein breakdown. Thus, both powder supplements can be used throughout the day, with whey being used in the morning while casein being used before going to bed.

Overall, whey concentrate, whey isolate, and casein are all protein sources that aim to boost muscle recovery and growth post training, despite of how fast they act on the body. Along with their use, achieving a lean physique also needs proper nutrition and adequate rest.